Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot is a fast and convenient way to thaw and cook a frozen block of ground beef. Use your pressure cooker to quickly cook frozen hamburger meat. Have cooked ground beef ready for your recipe!
Frozen Ground Beef in the Instant Pot
There are several Instant Pot® hacks that I really like. This is one of them. If you have ever forgotten to thaw out your pound of hamburger meat, and had your dinner plans messed up, then this hack is for you!
This method of cooking ground beef from frozen works with up to 2 ponds of meat (that I have tested so far). Go ahead and try it with more if you need to, though it may overcook the edges.
Helpful tips for cooking frozen ground beef in the Instant pot
- Before you freeze the meat, remove the plastic pad thing on the bottom. They are a pain to take off while frozen!
- Use the trivet. Unless you want to boil the hamburger meat, set it on the trivet, up out of the water.
- Natural Release for a few minutes to help the meat retain more moisture.
This post contains Affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
If you don't already have a trivet with handles, here is a good one: Steamer Rack Trivet with Heat Resistant Silicone Handles (affiliate).
See my Instant Pot Accessories post for more ideas!
Does this work with frozen ground turkey?
Yes it does! It is important to check the internal temperature if you are not going to cook it further after using this method. It should be 165° F.
30+ Instant Pot Ground Beef Recipes
Instant Pot Korean Ground Beef
Instant Pot Lasagna
Instant Pot Taco Pie
Watch the video to see how easy it is to cook frozen ground beef in the Instant Pot!
The Instant Pot is a fast and convenient way to thaw and cook a frozen block of ground beef. Use your pressure cooker to quickly cook frozen hamburger meat and have cooked ground beef ready for your recipe!
- 1 cup Water (for the pot)
- 1-2 lbs Frozen Ground Beef
-
Place the metal trivet /rack into the pot and add the water.
-
Place the frozen block of ground beef on the trivet.
-
Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
-
Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select cook time in minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
For 1 lb of meat, cook for 23 minutes, for 2 lbs cook for 28 minutes. See Note.
-
When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes (10 minute natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
-
When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid.
-
Remove the trivet with the cooked meat on it and move the meat to a plate. The meat will stay in the shape of a block.
-
Use a fork or chopper/stirrer utensil to break up the meat.
-
Now you can use the meat in your recipe!
In some cases, the meat may not cook all the way through, but it should be mostly thawed and you can sauté it if you need it fully cooked.
Â
If your meat block is thick, you may need to add a couple more minutes to the cook time, or let it naturally release longer.
RESOURCES TO MAKE this recipe and more
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Pin This Recipe
FreyaFL
Thank you for these instructions! This works great for ground turkey. In fact, because I can start it and walk away and the the outside is all nicely browned, I now prefer cooking ground meat like this better than in the frying pan now. I have found 20 minutes with a quick release is perfect, then I drain the liquid (unless I need it for some reason, like with tacos), turn on the sauté function, and it finishes cooking while I'm chopping and seasoning the meat. So quick!
Sandy
That's great! We use a lot of ground turkey!
Henry
This worked for me even without using a trivet. I just added a little olive oil to the pot before I added the meat and water to make sure the meat wouldn't stick to the bottom.
Emily
I feel like my IP should’ve come with a trivet, but I can’t find it anywhere? Can I do it without?
Sandy
Yes, I think it should have! You can make one with foil balls that sit in the pot with the meat on them to elevate it out of the water.